Baltimore

Baltimore Sun photo by Lloyd Fox

What Kiplinger.com had to say: "Baltimore's diversified economy includes high-paying jobs in defense, finance and information technology. It's home to Constellation Energy Group, a Fortune 500 company. Lockheed Martin Corporation and Grant Thornton International also have offices here. Charm City weathered the recession with low foreclosure rates, and income growth remains strong. Downtown Baltimore is in the midst of several multimillion-dollar development projects. It ranks higher than Austin, Denver and Atlanta in per capita income for downtown residents. And as many music fans know, few cities can match Baltimore for its innovative, eclectic art and music scene." Pros: Relatively low costs of living and rent compared to other major cities, strong income growth, waterfront and downtown districts, extensive bus and subway system, easy train commute to Washington, D.C., violent crime dropped 4% between 2009 and 2010. Cons: Long average commutes from the suburbs. Despite a drop in crime rate, some of Baltimore's inner-city neighborhoods still struggle with serious crime.

What Kiplinger.com had to say: "Baltimore's diversified economy includes high-paying jobs in defense, finance and information technology. It's home to Constellation Energy Group, a Fortune 500 company. Lockheed Martin Corporation and Grant Thornton International also have offices here. Charm City weathered the recession with low foreclosure rates, and income growth remains strong. Downtown Baltimore is in the midst of several multimillion-dollar development projects. It ranks higher than Austin, Denver and Atlanta in per capita income for downtown residents. And as many music fans know, few cities can match Baltimore for its innovative, eclectic art and music scene." Pros: Relatively low costs of living and rent compared to other major cities, strong income growth, waterfront and downtown districts, extensive bus and subway system, easy train commute to Washington, D.C., violent crime dropped 4% between 2009 and 2010. Cons: Long average commutes from the suburbs. Despite a drop in crime rate, some of Baltimore's inner-city neighborhoods still struggle with serious crime. (Baltimore Sun photo by Lloyd Fox)

What Kiplinger.com had to say: "Baltimore's diversified economy includes high-paying jobs in defense, finance and information technology. It's home to Constellation Energy Group, a Fortune 500 company. Lockheed Martin Corporation and Grant Thornton International also have offices here. Charm City weathered the recession with low foreclosure rates, and income growth remains strong. Downtown Baltimore is in the midst of several multimillion-dollar development projects. It ranks higher than Austin, Denver and Atlanta in per capita income for downtown residents. And as many music fans know, few cities can match Baltimore for its innovative, eclectic art and music scene." Pros: Relatively low costs of living and rent compared to other major cities, strong income growth, waterfront and downtown districts, extensive bus and subway system, easy train commute to Washington, D.C., violent crime dropped 4% between 2009 and 2010. Cons: Long average commutes from the suburbs. Despite a drop in crime rate, some of Baltimore's inner-city neighborhoods still struggle with serious crime.